Mention YORK and most people in Malaysia think air-conditioner. Not surprising as York air-conditioners have been around in Malaysia for more than 35 years and are seen as reliable with excellent after sales service

Unparalleled Growth

York air-conditioners are named after the town in which they were first manufactured in 1874 - York, Pennsylvania. Since then, it has made a name for itself worldwide. In 1975, Group Associated (C&L) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of OYL Industries Bhd, a leader in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning products in Malaysia, started manufacturing and distributing York air-conditioners in Malaysia. Group Associated has seven branches throughout Malaysia and has their own warehouse, ensuring that stocks and parts are readily available.

As a brand that stands for quality and reliability, York has become very well accepted by the Malaysian market and is now a household name. As a result of bringing York’s cool comfort to millions of Malaysians, Group Associated has seen unparalleled growth and development over the years.

Reliable & Innovative

The first thing that has given consumers confidence in the brand is product reliability. YORK is synonymous with innovation in air-cooling technology. The brand was the first to feature a built-in starter, which protects the unit and prolongs the lifespan of the compressor. YORK Cooling King G-2 Ion Series has also been developed in Turbo Mode which allows fast cooling; with Lambda (λ) heat exchanger features for higher air flow and better heat exchanger efficiency.

Air-conditioners are not the only products that the company innovates with. It has also developed a heat reclamation system, dubbed WinterSpa, which can provide homes with free hot water supply without the need for a water heater.

Having good products without after-sales service is no longer acceptable nowadays especially if you are targeting brand loyalty. York has long realized this and has ramped up their customer service. Its customer service now has an 8-hour response time, which is targeted to be shortened to 4 hours in the near future, says its Senior Marketing Manager (Group Associated (C&L) Sdn Bhd) Mr Lai Yong Fatt. The company also provides a 1-year warranty for the indoor fan coil unit and 5 years warranty on the 1 to 2.75 horse power compressor. They also have a full range of spare parts available to resolve any problem.

As a result of its product reliability and excellent customer service, Group Associated has seen its market share climbing in the past few years. Not resting on its laurels, the company has resolved to provide even better customer service, develop more green products, and having more branding activities to enhance their premium image.

Going Green

Lai listed out some top factors that consumers should consider when buying an air-conditioner. First, the cooling efficiency of the units. In some parts of Asia, air-conditioners have long migrated from being a luxury to a necessity. Some households evenhave them turned on daily, which usually results in higher energy bills. As we do not change air conditioners often, investing more money into their technological functionalities can be good for the wallet in the long run, and energy saving features should be at the top of everyone’s list. After all, frequent use of air-conditioners results in higher energy usage which directly translates into expensive energy bills.

In Malaysia, there is a voluntary energy labelling scheme, but so far, its reach is quite limited. That said, savvy consumers today can easily do a search online for air-conditioner models that carry energy labels from other countries and see if the models are sold here. After all, putting in a little more effort and money in shopping for energy efficient air-conditioner units will result in long term savings.

Environmental conservation is important, and York’s environmentally-friendly initiatives include producing inverter models using R410A gas, which does not deplete the ozone layer. Inverter technology varies the electrical power that goes into the unit, changing the speed of the compressor motor, which in turn changes the degree of cooling. It consumes less energy than traditional models, and thus reduces carbon dioxide emissions.